(I've made a full season post because I don't think enough people will see it to post a couple of episodes each day, but if anyone thinks otherwise, go ahead)posted by lmfsilva at 12:27 PM on November 16, 2017

The trailer makes this look kind of fun, but I admit I'm apprehensive when it comes to "From the people who brought you Sausage Party"* being a selling point. I'm not a huge fan of stoner/gross-out humor, but the trailer makes this look mostly silly and self-aware in a good way.

(It's worth noting I'm really not a fan of "comedic" gore for the most part. There have been a couple of instances where I've been OK with it, but mostly, it puts me off enjoying something.)

This is just on of those weirdly under-promoted Hulu series (unless I'm just hanging out in the wrong parts of the Internet) and that they put the whole series up at once (whereas usually Hulu does two or three episodes upfront and then releases the rest weekly) makes me a bit apprehensive about it. I'm not against giving it a try -- I just want to know what I'm getting into.

*Yes, I know they also do the Preacher TV series. But that's kind of its own, different thing in my mind. My relationship with Preacher is complicated.posted by darksong at 7:05 PM on November 16, 2017

OK, but have you seen Sausage Party? Because it's exactly as dumb as it seems like it would be but also, inexplicably, something more.posted by under_petticoat_rule at 7:22 PM on November 16, 2017 [1 favorite]

So some Class A lampshading there. The moment, the very moment I go, "wait, that's The Last Starfighter," the hero says exactly what I was thinking. Neat trick, TV!posted by Naberius at 7:26 PM on November 16, 2017 [1 favorite]

I have not seen Sausage Party. It would take a lot of convincing for me to watch Sausage Party. Even if it's secretly good, I know it's really not my thing.posted by darksong at 7:26 PM on November 16, 2017 [1 favorite]

so I watched the first episode last night and was debating on making a topic, but wasn't sure if anyone else would be interested.

I might watch the second episode to see where it goes.

The first episode was... fun? Like, it's an odd feeling. I only heard about the show from seeing ads for it while watching The Daily Show on Comedy Central's site. And aside from the Sausage Party selling point, which is... questionable, it looked like it had everything to suck me in. The first episode was charming, but at the same time trying too hard. I think I wanted some kind of immediate payoff that the first episode didn't deliver. So that's why I think I should watch the second one. But I feel like I have to talk myself into it.

And maybe I'm hoping other mefites give me a little push?posted by numaner at 8:31 PM on November 16, 2017

I'm four or five episodes in so far. It's a pleasant diversion. Some of the jokes are too predictable, and there's a lot of comic potential in some elements of the concept that has not yet been mined, and that the show hasn't hinted at wanting to mine. But it's got its moments, for sure. Keith David and the guy who plays Wolf are great.posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 5:36 AM on November 17, 2017

It's enjoyable and well written in spaces (I'm sure it would have been much tighter in a 100-min movie), it has a fair amount of Seth Rogen-style dick jokes, but they're not the focus. One of my favourite running jokes is Wolf and Tiger saying the name of their fighting moves because they've learned from a "murder simulator".

It's not going to win any awards, but it's something different.posted by lmfsilva at 6:52 AM on November 17, 2017

lmfsilva: It's not going to win any awards, but it's something different.

I was looking for reviews of the show, as Sausage Party is a mark against it for me (yes, I watched the movie, and no sir, I did not like it - I couldn't get past the fact that the premise was about food porn), and I found this New York Times review by Nick Hale that rang true for me:

How many B+ comedies — fairly funny, reasonably clever, ultimately disposable — can the television ecosystem support? New ones keep popping up in every area, from the networks (“The Mayor”) to the cablers (“SMILF”) to the wilds of YouTube Red (“Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television”). They’re even more kudzu-like than noirish thrillers.

I really like The Mayor and Ghosted, but the term "B+ comedies" rings so true -- they're good, but ultimately they're schedule fillers, good enough to keep people from turning the TV off if they're idle, but nothing worth discussing (or remembering) after you're done watching. (I still have high hopes for The Mayor because I like the idea of young disenfranchised youth getting involved with politics for the betterment of their communities, and I really like the whole cast, but so far it's not a stand-out show.)posted by filthy light thief at 7:27 AM on November 17, 2017 [2 favorites]

I dunno, to a point I feel there's a bit more future on smaller, more self-contained/containable shows than the big 5+ season ensemble sitcoms. Networks could expect a show to build over the years and plan accordingly, but with all cord-cutting (particularly with the target demos) it might be too risky trying to put a significant amount of money pushing a new show just for it to implode because there's no market there.posted by lmfsilva at 8:03 AM on November 17, 2017

This show is good, but I don't know if I'll stick with it. The pieces are funny; the future-folk keep dropping lines about the normalcy of their horrible dystopian future existence that I can't help engaging; Futterman himself is a dumb guy who finds powerful, even dumber friends, and Keith David... I know he's the cause of all that horror, but who doesn't like Keith David?

The production of this show is actually pretty good, I think. Effects look a bit cheap, but they're not overused, so this doesn't like like the 12th Marvel series on TV this week. I really kinda want to buy into this show.

This is a bit like the 1980s show "Voyagers," in which 2 time travellers, employed in the job of fixing historical events, lose their history guide, and have to rely on a middle-school-aged kid and his half-remembered history lessons.

> B+ comedies

Geezus, that's really smartly summarized. Both Ghosted and the first couple episodes of Future Man have had moments in which I start laughing out loud because something (Wolf in this show's case) delivers a comic moment which has been set up from the start, and executes really well. (Ghosted has a cheese moment a few weeks ago when the guys were singing "Walking in Memphis" which exceeded its own cheesiness and became too funny). But... I've got a lot of shows on my plate. This morning at Midnight, Netflix dropped 23 hours of programming that I am excited to talk to my friends about, preferably starting this evening. I dropped Ghosted already. This one is on the block, but I think I'll give it a couple more. At least I can hammer the whole thing out in a day.posted by Sunburnt at 12:52 PM on November 17, 2017 [2 favorites]

While it had uneven moments, I really enjoyed the series. A few points I found particularly interesting:

It's not terribly clear that Futterman is even on the right side. The conflicting stories from Wolf, Tiger and Jeri suggest that the resistance fighters may be telling him a story that they believe, but which is not entirely true. It's nice to see that kind of subtlety in a comedy.

It is so good to see Haley Joel Osment act in anything, but especially with the range and variations that different timelines provide.

Sharp-eyed viewers will see that every episode is dedicated to Glenne Headly, who plays Josh Futterman's mom. Tragically, she died after filming just five episodes, making some of the unevenness of the series somewhat understandable.

The small musical motifs from Back to the Future throughout the series.

Full. Male. Nudity. Television has come a long way.

The Cameron Residential Unit and its exasperated Smart Home system were probably my favorite bit of the series. Well, that and all the scenes set in the 80s'.

ok it gets much less funnier subsequently. But also, still good. But the prostitutes cracked me up.posted by numaner at 11:38 PM on November 20, 2017

finished it finally. I am surprised that I enjoyed it, but damn that last episode left me wanting so much more.

The laugh quotient dropped dramatically, but I think it was necessary for the emotional stuff to really shine through. It was like the emotional roller coaster of a Rick and Morty episode stretched out over a season of television.posted by numaner at 1:29 PM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

also, about an above point. I feel like the cohesion of this show is what Ghosted needs. It has great characters and a good setting, but it lacks an overall story similar to Future Man that would bring it some much needed clarity.posted by numaner at 4:32 PM on January 9, 2018

Ghosted has the dis/advantage you could write anything for Craig Robinson and he'd make it funny and Adam Scott isn't that far off. Plus, having room for an A and a B-plot and also a running story arch is a bit tougher on 22 minutes. This is why I'm in favour of network sitcoms frontloading their first episodes for binge viewing to set the show.posted by lmfsilva at 10:10 AM on January 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Everything involving Corey Wolfhart was solid gold.

I really didn’t expect to enjoy Future Man as much as I did. I’m not a fan of TV comedies as a rule, but this one was a lot of fun.posted by liet at 8:53 PM on February 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

The volleyball tribute was fun. And a neat commentary on how far extreme body build is catching up to women's absurd body build. Any one of those nobodies could've starred in something in the 80s based purely on their build.

I can see Sixth Sense Haley Joel Osment in grown-up HJO here, but wow his craniofacial development was

moreunexpected than DiCaprio's. HJO's got indie chops.

Josh: "Ok, dad? Mom isn't here right now. You can be honest with me."
Gabe: "You're mother is a 10."
Josh: "SHE'S A 6, AT BEST!"
Gabe: "TAKE THAT BACK!"